Supporting the Troops at Netroots Nation!

The  IGTNT and Mojo Friday crews are pleased to announce that we will be going to Netroots Nation '08 in Austin, July 17-20.  Our joint venture will pay tribute to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, and help those on the ground today with care packages from home.

Join us on the flipside to learn more about the program, and find ways that you can support our efforts both at Netroots Nation and from home!

^{this diary is a repost -- with additional information added -- of a diary posted by roses yesterday.}

What started out as an off-hand suggestion and a few informal conversations has now become a full-scale effort to show the country that the Netroots know the difference between walking the walk and talking the talk.  We know that sound bites, photo ops, and 99-cent magnets made in China mean nothing when it comes to supporting our men and women on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Netroots For The Troops project is our way to let the rest of the country see what real, hands-on support for our troops looks like. The IGTNT crew will be bringing kossack kainah's beautiful memorial panels, and presenting a tribute to our fallen men and women.  As we look forward to ending this war, we must also look back at the lives already lost and salute their valor and sacrifice.  We'll keep you updated as the service comes together.

On Saturday July 19, 2008, 2:00-4:30 PM we'll be presenting a seminar at NN '08 on the how to's of troop support care packages.  We'll provide information on the nuts-and-bolts of  building an event at home as an extension of activism and other political and campaign efforts. Best of all, it will include hands-on experience  - we're going to be packing up 101 care packages to be sent directly from Austin to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Short and sweet - we need your help.  Each box will cost $11 to mail using the new, larger USPS Flat Rate APO boxes.  There's a whole lot we can fit into one of those, and we intend to fill them with some important items that returning vets have let us know the soldiers now on deployment could use:

     Phone cards ($27.50 for 550 minutes)
     Mechanix brand gloves ($16/pair used to handle hot equiment without getting burned)
     Boot insole replacement inserts ($8/pair)

Of course, we'll be adding other good stuff, but these are the big ticket items, and a first for a DKos community effort.

Will you help us?  To donate online go to Netroots For The Troops.  You can donate using your credit card (scroll down the page) or PayPal if you have an account. We're all getting hit these days with requests for donations and money is pretty tight everywhere you go anymore.  But, large or small, every donation helps - $5 is $5 and it will make a difference.

Also, those attending Netroots Nation will have the opportunity to purchase an exclusive, black Pocket Tee Mojo Friday T-Shirt designed especially for the event.

The front pocket will probably have this:

While the back will have this:

This may change – we may edit the copy a little and/or switch front-to-back. Anyway, you can only get one at Netroots Nation for only $20, with nearly $14 of that going directly to the project.